Independent Party candidate for auditor to protest at courthouse

IRONTON — Jon Ater says the “good old boy,” politics-as-usual system is one of the things that drove him to run as an Independent Party candidate for the Lawrence County Auditor’s office in the first place.

That same dissatisfaction is what will have the man and his supporters waving signs in protest Thursday.

Ater has filed for the necessary permits to protest outside the Lawrence County Courthouse from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday before he attends the board of elections meeting to express his concern about the Republican party using a secret ballot to fill the seat on the board.

“This is all about transparency and open government,” he said, adding that the protest will be peaceful and civil.

Ater will also voice his displeasure with the GOP Central Committee’s refusal to provide minutes from its most recent meeting in what Ater sees as a reasonable time frame.

Protesting publicly to get his point across isn’t new to Ater. A few years ago he staged a protest outside the courthouse for several days over concerns with how a theft case from the treasurer’s office was handled.

W.Va. woman pleads guilty in crash that killed 3

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Barboursville woman involved in a crash that killed a mother and two teenagers has pleaded guilty to three counts of driving under the influence causing death.

Erma Brown entered her plea Friday and faces up to 30 years in prison. Cabell County Circuit Judge Dan O’Hanlon set sentencing for April 5.

An indictment accused Brown of being under the influence of prescription medications when the two-vehicle collision occurred in April 2009. Forty-seven-year-old Carol Crawford, her 16-year-old daughter, Meghan Crawford, and 15-year-old Kelsie Kuhn died when their vehicle caught fire. All were from Barboursville.

Excel classes offered at OUS

IRONTON — Two computer classes will be offered at Ohio University Southern Campus in Ironton. Both will be taught by Tom Cantrell.

The first is “Introduction to Excel” designed for those with little or no experience in spreadsheets. It will cover using multiple worksheets, formatting and enhancing worksheets using styles and auto format. That sessions runs from Tuesdays Feb. 23 to March 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Fee for the course is $50.

The second class is “More Excel” teaching the advanced features like formatting cells, functions, charts, page layout, sorting and creating a template. Students must have taken Excel or have prior Excel knowledge.

That course starts March 30 and concludes on April 1 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $25.

For more information contact Janet Wagner at OUS at 740-533-4544.

Marshall’s new engineering complex on hold

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall University’s plan to build a new engineering complex is on hold after the state decided not to provide funding for the project.

President Donald Kopp told Marshall’s Board of Governors on Thursday that the Applied Engineering Complex still tops the school’s list for new capital projects.

But Kopp says Gov. Joe Manchin wants schools to take care of deferred maintenance.

Kopp says the state isn’t funding any new higher education capital projects.

Marshall would receive about $22 million for renovations and campus upgrades if the Legislature approves the funding.

The state had agreed last year to provide $25 million for the engineering complex.

Highlands Museum hosts casino night

ASHLAND, Ky. — The Highlands Museum & Discovery Center will host “High Rollin’ at the Highlands Casino Night” to support educational programming at the museum.

The event will be from 6:30 p.m. to midnight on March 6.

Visitors can enjoy food provided by Mary’s Kitchen Catering, music and dancing, casino games by Premier Casino Events, Inc., and many prizes.

6:30-7 p.m: Cocktails

7-8 p.m.: Dinner

8-11 p.m.: Dancing and Casino Open

11 p.m.: Prizes Awarded

Semi-formal attire is required. Sponsorship opportunities are available. All proceeds benefit educational programming at the museum. Call (606) 329-8888 to make reservations. The cost is $95 per person.

Split the pot raffle tickets are also available. Tickets are $20. Winner takes home 1/2 the pot while the other 1/2 benefits the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center.

Winner need not be present to win. Purchase tickets now at the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center. CG-Exempt Number EXE0001287.

In partnership with schools and the community, the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center attracts and educates young and old from around the Tri-State. It preserves history and provides a dynamic resource, plus an integral contribution, to the region’s quality of life.

The museum is located at 1620 Winchester Avenue in historic Ashland, Kentucky.

For more information, call (606) 329-8888, email at info@highlandsmuseum.com or visit our Website at www.highlandsmuseum.com.

Jackson-35 remains reduced to one lane

JACKSON — Lane restrictions remain in place on U.S. Route 35 East in Jackson County, and intermittent periods of closure are likely to occur throughout the day today.

Crews from Stable Construction continue working to remove two large boulders that rest along the hillside adjacent to U.S. 35 East.

The contractors will resume operations at 9 a.m. today, and they anticipate continuing the excavation project with U.S. 35 East traffic being maintained in one lane and closed for intermittent periods during daily operations. The closures will occur when large sections of rock are ready to fall; at such times, traffic will be stopped and held for 15 to 30 minutes.

Although the route will be open to one lane of traffic throughout the day, ODOT recommends that all U.S. 35 East motorists follow the posted detour to avoid delays when traffic is stopped. The posted detour is via U.S. 35 at Chillicothe to U.S. 23 South to Piketon, to S.R. 32 East to Jackson to U.S. 35.

The westbound lanes have not been affected by the rock slide; however, these lanes may also be closed for intermittent periods of up to 15 minutes when rocks are likely to fall.

The excavation project became necessary after a rock slide occurred Feb. 10, approximately six miles east of the Jackson-Ross County line.

Area athletes named to soccer’s 2009 All-Star Game

Two area high schools and several area high school soccer players were honored for their accomplishments at the SouthEast District Coaches Association 2009 All Star Game in November at Rio Grande University.

Sunni Clyse of St. Joseph High School and Amy Lien of South Point High School were named Girls’ All Star Game players.

Ronnie Lynd of South Point High School and Joseph Unger of St. Joseph High School were named Boys’ All Star Game players.

Additionally, several area students were awarded 2009 All-District Honors. Lynd, Unger and Payton Blair, also of St. Joseph were named to the Boys Division III First Team; Matt Button of South Point and Anthony Whaley of St. Joseph wee named to the second team. Additionally, South Point’s Noah Davidson and St. Joseph’s Levi Hopkins and Nick Roach were given honorable mention.

Clyse and Lien were awarded 2009 All-District Honors Girls First Team status.

St. Joseph was awarded the Ohio Scholastic Coaches Association Team Academic Award while South Point earned the Southeast District Team Sportsmanship Award.

Four St. Joseph students won individual Ohio Scholastic Coaches Association Team Academic Awards. They are Clyse, Unger, Whaley, Spencer Schwab and Sara Basedow.

Lincoln presentation set for Friday at OUS

IRONTON — Ohio University Southern will present a visit from America’s 16th President Abraham Lincoln at 7 p.m. Friday at the Bowman Auditorium.

As Lincoln, historian Jim Gettys will discuss concerns facing the nation, such as the Civil War, fighting, slavery and reconstruction issues and will take questions from the audience. Photo opportunities will be available.

Admission is free and open to the public however reservations are required. Please RSVP to Steve Call at OUS by telephone at (740) 533-4559 or (800) 626-0513, ext. 4559 or by email at call@ohio.edu.

Preceding Lincoln’s evening address the OUS band will perform period Civil War music at 6 p.m.

OLBH has activities set for Sleep Awareness Week

BELLEFONTE, Ky. — Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH) joins other facilities around the country in recognizing National Sleep Awareness Week March 7-13.

In recognition of the week, the OLBH Sleep Lab is providing the following free events at the lab located on Saint Christopher Drive on the hospital campus:

March 8 – 12, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Sleep disorder screenings and educational material concerning sleep.

March 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: CPAP mask re-fitting workshop

For more information about the OLBH Sleep Lab or to obtain a free brochure, contact the CareLine at (606)-833-CARE (2273).

ACTC Black History programs continue

ASHLAND, Ky. — Ashland Community and Technical College will finish up February with three Black History Month activities that illustrate the influence of African Americans on our society and culture.

“Affrilachian” poet Bianca Spriggs will give a free presentation Monday, at noon in ACTC’s J. B. Sowards Theatre at the College Drive Campus.

Her presentation on “The Afro that Ate Kentucky” is focused on the cultural diversity of Kentucky. Her poems draw on her experiences in growing up, living, and working in the Bible Belt and Bluegrass Region. They reflect the challenges and triumphs of Kentucky’s history as a border state — the lore, the people and the land.

Spriggs is the author of “Kaffir Lily,” soon to be published by Wind Publications, and her work can be found in the anthologies Appalachian Heritage Magazine, Torch, America! What’s My Name? and New Growth: Recent Kentucky Writings.

For more information, contact Al Baker, ACTC Director of Diversity, 606-326-2422.

A Night at the Apollo will be Friday at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Arts Center in downtown Ashland.

Based on Harlem’s amateur nights at the Apollo Theatre, A Night at the Apollo gives amateur Tri-State performers a chance to share their talents in music, dance, and theatre .

The program is a night of family entertainment for the audience and a talent contest for the performers. Prizes are $200, $100 and $50 for adults and $75, $50 and $25 for youth up to age 12.

The entry fee is $5 per act, and registration is through the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center, 606-329-8888. The registration deadline is Feb. 22.

A special Michael Jackson Tribute will be included in this year program. Audience admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the door.

ACTC presents Dancing for Your Soul – a Hip Hop Dance Revue on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the J. B. Sowards Theatre at the College Drive Campus.

The free program will feature hip-hop dance routines by performers from area dance studios and performing companies.

Performers will include Armstrong Studio, Tammy Jo’s Studio, Cabell Midland High School, Cyndi’s Dance Studio, Mirror Image Dance Studio, Yvonne Dekay School of Dance, I-Town Soldiers, N-Step Troop and Caleb Martin, a student at Russell High School.

Gyfted, a rapper/singer originally from Ironton, will also perform his blend of hip-hop, R & B, and soul avoids the disrespectful themes of mainstream hip-hop and maintains a positive outlook.

The free program and reception are sponsored by the ACTC Multicultural Student Organization (MSO). For information, contact MSO Advisor Jacalyn McAfee, (606) 326-2109.